Snap Shots: Getting Older
by AdmHawthorne
Summary: One shot set in the "New Experiences" universe. This covers a few brief scenes in the start of Jane and Maura's life together. Set about a few years after "Snap Shots: Pains"


**This is a one shot from my "New Experiences" universe. I'll probably do a few more... sort of snap shots of Maura and Jane's life. I like this universe, but I don't want to do another long series on it. So, you'll probably get one shots here and there.**

**This one is set after "Snap Shots: Pains"**

**As always, the characters aren't mine. I get nothing from this but the satisfaction of writing a fun story about two of my fav characters.**

**I would love reviews on this. Thank you for taking time to read this!**

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><p>"Jane, what are you doing?" Maura stepped into the bathroom to watch the dark haired detective looking at herself in the mirror.<p>

"Counting the grey hairs," Jane continued to run her hands through her thick hair.

"You really don't have many, and, if it bothers you so much, we can set an appointment with Jennie to color it." Maura stepped behind her detective, wrapping her arms around the lanky form she loved so much. "But, I kind of like the grey."

"Really?" Dark brows knit together as Jane concentrated on the obvious lines of grey streaking her dark hair. "I think it makes me look old."

"I don't think so. I think it makes you look even more attractive." Maura stood on tiptoes to nip and kiss at Jane's neck.

"Oh, gross, get a room, you two." Alessa passed by the door, cell phone in one hand, diet soda in the other, and a look of disgust on her face. "Do you two ever stop?"

"Hey, be thankful we still love each other. We could be like your Uncle Frankie and Aunt Talia." Jane rolled her eyes as she turned to face her teenage daughter. "Are you drinking a soda? Really?"

"What? I was thirsty." Alessa took a gulp. "Besides, I've been hydrating all day."

"You know caffeine dehydrates you, Alessandra. You should wait until after the marathon tomorrow before indulging." Maura plucked the can from her daughter's hand, ignoring the young woman's look of horror at having her drink of choice taken away from her. "That goes for all of us." She leaned over to place a loving kiss on her wife's cheek. "No coffee either."

"Man!" Jane threw a death glare to her daughter who was now grinning broadly. "You better know how much I love you for this."

"I got it, Ma. But, it's not like you haven't done this before, right? Didn't you and Mother run the Boston Marathon when you were young?" She gave a classic Rizzoli grin in answer to both of her mothers' dirty looks before following them into the kitchen for Maura to dispose of the soda can.

"Young-er. We're not ancient, Ally." Jane poked the teen in the ribs, eliciting a yelp and giggle from the young woman. "Don't be a smartass."

"I learned from the best," the youngest Rizzoli handed her mother a glass of water, ignoring her other mother's looks of warning to not provoke the bear. "You two solved a case and didn't finish the race, right?"

"Partly," Maura settled next to Jane on the stool set at the island as they watched their daughter absentmindedly play with the dog. "You are well aware of this story. You know we finished the race after solving the case."

"Just not with everyone else." Alessa picked Joe up, holding her at eye level. "Joe, you're getting grey, old woman." She glanced at her mothers.

"Funny." Jane ran a hand through her hair. "You probably gave me half of these."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Ma. You know I'm perfect. I'm totally awesome." Alessa carefully set Joe back down.

"It's impossible to be perfect, Alessandra." Maura sipped calmly at her water for a very brief moment. "Between delays in physical response and the human's inability to efficiently use…"

"Googlemouthing," Jane mumbled over the rim of her glass.

"You love me for it," Maura shot back.

"You two just can't stop, can you?" Alessa shook her head as she refilled the glasses.

"Since the day I met you mother, we've been like this. I don't think we're going to change anytime soon. So, deal." Jane rolled her eyes as she grudgingly downed another glass of water.

"Why do you insist on antagonizing your mother?" With a slight raise of her eyebrow, Maura tilted her head to the side.

"It's fun." The teen shrugged, walking over to place a kiss on Jane and then Maura's cheek. "I think it's great you two still love each other so much. You know a lot of my friends' parents are divorced or hate each other. It's nice to be in a family where everyone cares about each other. I'm grateful every day for it." She sighed heavily. "I hope someday I can find someone who still looks at me the way Ma looks at you."

"Wise beyond your years, Alessandra." Maura gave her daughter a gentle pat on the arm.

"So, kiddo, how is Steve?" Jane stared at the wall, not making eye contact with anyone.

"Steve Castro? Ma, are you serious?" Alessa balked, stepping away from both older women. "He's on the chess team."

Jane shrugged. "So are you. Besides, he's cute, and it's pretty obvious he likes you."

"Jane…" Maura's only warning.

"Oh, gross. For real, gross, Ma. Yeah, I'm on the chess team. I'm also on the debate team, the academic decathlon team, the track team, and I play volleyball and softball. So, what, are you going to try to set me up with Jenny Davis, too? She hits on me all the time."

"Nah, she's not as cute," Jane smirked, her face breaking its expressionless state at her daughter's grunt of frustration.

"Really?" Alessa intoned, sounding very much like the woman giving her a hard time.

"We just want you to be happy, Alessandra. Jane is simply following a family tradition of trying to…"

"No, Maura. Don't say it." Jane whipped around to face her wife.

"But, Jane, you and I both know that Angela used to…"

"We promised never to discuss this. No, Maura, I mean it. _Do not_ compare me to Ma on this." Jane's eyes glittered with unspoken threat.

Meanwhile, Alessa's head moved back and forth, tennis match style, as she watched her parents fuss with each other. She smiled, already knowing how the whole thing would end.

"I don't see why it's such a bad thing. Angela was only acting as she did because she loved you and wanted you to be happy, justlike you do with Alessa." Maura smiled gently at her wife. "How can that be a bad thing?'

"Have you forgotten what that woman… no," Jane shook her head, dark curls peppered with grey shaking gently. "No way, don't say it. I mean it."

"Jane," the doctor's voice was calm, patient. "It's okay to be a little like your…"

Jane cut her wife off by laying a kiss on her lips, effectively silencing her. The kiss lingered, and both women were flushed as they pulled away. "You did that on purpose," Jane lightly accused.

"I don't know what you mean, my wonderful detective." Maura stood, picking up the empty glasses, and winking at her daughter as she turned to the sink.

"Right, you don't know what I'm talking about. Well, my little ME, at least I know where our daughter gets her habit of antagonizing me from."

"Oh my God, you two are hilarious." Alessa snorted. "I don't know how Uncle Vince and Uncle Barry get any work done."

"Don't you have a date or something tonight?" The detective stood up, glancing at the clock.

"Study date at Jane Taccardi's place. You're right; I should probably go or I'll be late." The teen grabbed her bag from the counter. "Besides, I'm thinking you and Mother need some alone time anyway." She winked at Jane.

"Wait a minute, Jane Taccardi? Are her parents going to be home?" Ignoring the dig, Jane gave her daughter her best detective face.

"Yeah, why?" Complete confusion crossed her daughter's face.

"Just making sure. That little blonde… nothing. Go. Study. Make good grades so you can be a lawyer." She gave the young woman a gentle shove toward the door.

"Okay, okay, cool your jets, Ma. I'm going. I'll be gone for… three hours. That enough time?" Alessa snickered as she picked up her car keys.

"Just barely," Maura replied, a smirk on her face at her daughter's horrified look.

"Okay… well, I'm gone. Later you two. Love you." Alessa left, exiting the house hurriedly.

"Jane, what are you thinking about Jane?" Maura made a small confused face. "That was an odd sentence."

"I know what you mean, though. I think that Jane has a crush on our daughter, and I think out daughter has a crush on Jane." The detective rolled her eyes. "And, _that_ was a weirder sentence."

"You think Ally is a lesbian?" Maura tilted her head again, this time, in contemplation and consideration.

"I don't know. I've got a feeling she doesn't either. I just think we should keep an eye on it. If our little girl does turn out to be part of _that_ family, too, I don't want her to have to struggle like I…_we_ did, you know?" Jane closed the distance to wrap her arms around her wife.

"I do." Maura snuggled in, inhaling deeply. "We have three hours."

"You're right. Why are we still in the kitchen?"

* * *

><p>"This cannot be happening," Alessa sat on the end of her bed trying to keep the tears from falling.<p>

The sounds caught Jane's attention as she passed by, and she popped in to check on her daughter. "Hey," noticing the tears threatening to fall, she immediately moved to squat in front of the young woman. "What's wrong, little one? Why are you crying?"

Alessa began to rock back and forth as she tried to keep herself together. "How did this happen? I didn't… I mean, we didn't… Ma, _nothing_ happened! We're just friends."

"Ally, what's going on? What happened? Did someone hurt you?" Dark eyes sharpened, hands going to hold her daughter's.

"No. Yes. It's complicated." The teen let out a shaky breath. "It's Jane."

"What did she do to you?" The detective's hands tightened.

"Nothing! She didn't do anything! Ma, you know we're just friends." Dropping her head down, she stared at their hands where they rested in her lap. "She's my best friend. We do everything together, you know that."

Jane was hesitant for a moment before answering. "Yeah, she's a good girl."

"Yeah, we both are. But, there are some kids at school that are saying some pretty messed up things about us, and I don't know what to do. It's starting to really get to me, you know?" She gave her mother a pleading look.

"They're saying you two are more than friends?"

"Yeah, but it's not true. Ma, I swear it's not true!"

"Hey, it's okay. I believe you." Standing, Jane moved to sit next to her daughter and wrap a protective arm around her as her daughter closed her eyes and leaned against her mother. "People suck sometimes. But, this is just high school. You're a junior, and, before you know it, you'll be a senior, and, then, you'll be out of there and going to Harvard, and all this crap these idiots are saying won't matter because you'll be kicking ass as the best lawyer ever while they're flipping burgers." She let out a small mental prayer of thanks as she heard her daughter give a small chuckle. "There's nothing wrong with having a best friend." She glanced up to see her wife standing in the doorway watching and listening. "It's healthy, and, like I said, Jane's a good girl. If you were going to pick a best friend, then you picked a good one."

"But, what do I say? What do I do about what _they're_ saying? Ma, how do I deal with this?"

Jane gave her wife a pained look. "You keep doing your thing, and you ignore them unless they try to physically hurt you or Jane. They're just trying to get a rise out of you. If you don't give it to them, they'll find someone else to mess with. You're a Rizzoli. Rizzoli's don't give in to bullies. I know you can handle it."

"I don't think Jane can." Her daughter sniffled, eyes still closed. "She's like Mother. She's… sensitive, and her parents aren't really there for her like you two are for me."

"Well, then she can come over, and we'll be there for both of you." Jane kissed the crown of her daughter's head. "She's practically family anyway."

"Yeah?"

Maura smiled, quietly nodding her agreement. "Yeah," Jane smiled gently against her daughter's dark, unruly hair. "I like her. You can bring her over anytime."

"Thank you, Ma." Alessa pulled back to smile at Jane as Maura stepped out of view.

"None needed. I'm your mother. I'm supposed to make it all better." Jane reached to wipe the tears from the young woman's face. "Everything will be okay, but it's late, and we should probably all try to sleep. You have a debate tournament tomorrow, and I'm on duty." She stood, placing a kiss on the teen's cheek. "It'll be fine, okay?"

"You promise to run a marathon with me later?" Still sniffling, Alessa gave her best Rizzoli grin.

"Yeah, if it'll get you stop crying," Jane chuckled, shaking her head. "Go to bed, little one." With a final, tender look, Jane turned to exit the room and close the door behind her.

"That was sweet, Jane." Maura kissed her wife. "But, what are we going to do?"

"Nothing," the detective threaded her arm through Maura's leading them to their bedroom. "Ally has to deal with this on her own. We'll be there if and when she needs us, but it's all we can do, you know?"

"Yes, but it's difficult to see her in such pain."

"I know." Jane closed their bedroom door behind her. "Do you think she'll figure it all out, Maura?"

"You mean sooner than we did?"

"Yeah."

Maura shrugged. "I think she still has a great deal of learning to do first. Let's not rush anything."

"I want her to be sure."

"Once she makes up her mind, she will be." Maura smiled as she slipped into her side of the bed. "She's a great deal like you in that regard."

"Both of us," Jane confirmed as she followed the doctor's lead. "I just hope she's okay until she figures it out."

"If she's not, we'll be there for her, just as you've said." The blonde snuggled up to her wife, wrapping an arm and leg around her. "We'll be there for both of them."

"I really like her."

"So do I."

"So does Ally."

"Yes."

* * *

><p>"You eat gummy bears how?" Jane Taccardi sat in the floor beside the coffee table in the Rizzoli living room watching as Alessa lined gummy bears up in neat rows.<p>

"I eat gummy bears by destroying their village and conquering their land," Alessa smirked, eyes twinkling with mischief. "It's awesome. How else do you eat gummy bears?"

"I don't normally eat them, actually. The high concentrations of sugar and other questionable substances make them less than desirable to eat." Jane frowned as she pushed a few gummy bears around so they all lined up perfectly.

"If you don't eat them, what do you do with them?" Alessa frowned at the moves to her gummy bear village. "It doesn't have to be perfect, Janie."

"The disorganization was bothering me," the other teen frowned at her friend, "and don't call me Janie."

"Really? They were, like, this much out of a line with the rest of them." Alessa held her hand up, demonstrating the gap using her thumb and forefinger. "Besides, they're about to die a horrible gummy death anyway, so what does it matter?"

"It matters." The blonde teen stood and moved to settle on the sofa behind them, pulling her legs up and settling with a definitive air.

"What matters?" Jane Rizzoli strolled in, glass of soda in one hand and a beer in the other.

"The alignment of the gummy bears," the teenage Jane replied as she shook her head in amusement. "Soda, Ally? Do you know how bad that is for you?"

"Just as bad as her mother's habit of drinking beer." Maura settled on the other end of the sofa after handing the blonde teen a glass of water. "But, I've yet to break my wife of the habit, and I doubt you'd be able to do any better with Alessandra."

"As her best friend, I feel it's my duty to at least inform her of what she's putting in her body."

"Hey, I'm a freaking genius. I got this. I know exactly what I'm doing." Alessa shot back over the rim of her glass before taking a long drink of the dark liquid.

"Language," came the reply from both her mother and her friend, neither of which even batted an eye that they had responded at the same time with the same reminder.

"Ma?" The dark haired teen gave her mother a pleading look.

"Nope, you're on your own, little one. Your mother has been at me for years, and I haven't gotten her to stop yet. My best suggestion? Just go with it. It makes your life easier if you just do what they tell you to do. Trust me on this one."

"You're still drinking beer." Alessa's voice was annoyed yet amused.

"Well, there are lines." Jane smirked, glancing back at the women on the sofa before setting her beer aside. "Ready?"

"You want the red ones, right?" Her daughter's eyes lit up, a smile spreading across their face.

"They do this every Sunday?" The younger Jane asked the doctor.

"Like clockwork." Maura replied.

"Fascinating."

"Yes, it normally is. I've come to consider it something of a family tradition despite the fact I find gummy bears less than desirable to eat." Maura shifted to get a better view of the two women sitting on the ground by the coffee table.

"Hey, you're distracting us. We're busy here," the detective pointed at the table.

"Sorry, Detective Rizzoli. Dr. Rizzoli and I will refrain."

"Better." The older dark haired woman looked at her daughter. "Okay, on the count of three…"


End file.
